Perhaps the most vital person I have ever met is an Italian professor of philosophy who teaches at the University of Pisa．Although I last met this man eight years ago， I have not forgotten his special qualities．First of all，I was impressed by his devotion to teaching． Because his lectures were always well-prepared and clearly delivered， students swarmed into his classroom． His followers appreciated the fact that he believed in what he taught and that he was intellectually stimulating．Furthermore， he could be counted on to explain his ideas in an imaginative way，introducing such aids to understanding as paintings， recordings，pieces of sculpture， and guest lecturers． Once he even sang a song in class to illustrate a point． Second， I admired the fact that he would confer with students outside of the classroom or talk with them on the telephone． Drinking coffee in the snack bar， he would easily make friends with students． Sometimes he would challenge a student to a game of chess． At other times， he would join groups to discuss subjects ranging from astronomy to scuba diving． Many young people visited him in his office for academic advice； others came to his home for social evenings． Finally，I was attracted by his lively wit． He believed that no class hour is a success unless the students and the professor share several chuckles and at least one loud laugh．Through his sense of humor， he made learning more enjoyable and more lasting．If it is true that life makes a wise man smile and a foolish man cry，then my friend is truly a wise man． Probably the best example of his wit is this bit of wisdom with which he once ended a lecture：“It is as dangerous for man to model himself upon his invention， the machine，as it would be for God to model Himself upon His invention．”

也許，我所遇見的最有活力的人要算一位在比薩大學教書的意大利哲學教授。雖然我還是八年前見過他，但我并沒有忘記他的特點。首先，他給我的印象深刻的是他對教學熱愛。因為他的課總是準備充分而且表達清楚，所以學生們總是蜂涌來聽他講課。他對自己所教授的內容深信不疑，他很能激發求知欲，這些受到他的追隨者的贊賞。而且，他總是利用圖片、錄音、雕塑等工具，或者請來特約教師，以一種形象的方式來解釋他的思想。有一次，他甚至在課堂上唱起一首歌來闡明一個論點。其次，我很欣賞他和同學生進行課外討論或者進行電話交談的作法。在快餐館喝咖啡的時候，他能平易地與學生交朋友。有時，他會跟一個學生來一盤棋，有時又參加集體討論，話題從天文學一直到海底。許多青年人常去他辦公室請教學術問題；還有些人去他家參加社交晚會。最后，我常為他的機智所打動。他認為，師生在課堂中如果沒有一些會意的微笑，沒有一次開懷的大笑，那么這堂課就不能算成功。在他的幽默感染下，學習變得更為輕松愉快，也能更持久。生活使智者微笑，使愚者哭泣，如果此話當真，那我這位朋友肯定是個智者。關于他的機智，最好的例子可能就是有一次他結束講課時所說的一句智語：“上帝模仿自己的發明是危險的，人類模仿自己的發明——機器——也是危險的。”